Cryptic Endings
by Alma Sol
Summary: Upon Naraku's demise several stories are played out to their tragic endings or beginnings. A series of 100 word ficlets that may or may not be related depending on how you look at it.
1. Wind Void by Alma Sol

Crimson eyes glinted with malice as Naraku watched from the shadows. The last monk descendent gritted his teeth and strained against the tunnel as the wind increased.  
  
Miroku let out a painful holler as his body shook from the intensity. Slender arms suddenly supported him from behind. He glanced back and yelled in horror, "No, Sango! You'll be sucked in!"  
  
Their gazes met. "I won't go! I love you..."  
  
Using his last ounce of strength, Miroku pulled her into his arms. "I will always love you..." Tears poured down their faces as they embraced and kissed, the darkness overtaking them. 


	2. Victory and Loss by Niamh Tyhara

The anger of all that was lost fueled their blood as the person slammed the weapon of Naraku's demise through the dark hanyou's throat.  
  
The crimson eyes glazed over as the twisted life force slowly began to flow out of him.  
  
Glazed with hatred for his killer.  
  
Glazed with anger for all that he had left unfinished.  
  
If Naraku had to leave this world through anger and pain...then so should the one who had forced it.  
  
Said person looked sadly upon the deteriorating body, then slumped with the victory of the fight...and the loss of all whom had been destroyed. 


	3. Cursed Lives by Alma Sol

They stared emotionlessly upon the burning timbers and ashes of the castle. Putrid smoke crept upon the indigo sky and swirled around the crescent moon. The bright flickering flames danced in two pairs of eyes, one scarlet, the other black.  
  
Kagura and Kanna gripped hands and knew what they meant to each other. Nothing would ever tear them apart no matter what happened. They had only each other.  
  
Boldly, they walked away from the unfolding scene. Together they drifted over the ground, neither of the sisters knowing what would become of them, and neither cared where their cursed life led. 


	4. Choices by Alma Sol

Kohaku sighed sullenly as the red sun dipped beyond the horizon. Wearily, he trudged through the underbrush of the forest, clutching his weapon desperately.  
  
Where would he go now? Where could he go? His heart wrenched at the thought of his sister. He hadn't found out if she was still alive after Naraku's death. But... he'd rather not know and have to deal with the pain.  
  
Maybe... maybe Kagome would take him in? He considered joining Kagura and Kanna and his head hung.  
  
Sometimes... there are choices too difficult to make in life. How could he do this without Sango? 


	5. The Promise by Alma Sol

Their clawed hands gripped the other's brutally. Molten amber orbs narrowed and they silently acknowledged that there was no place in the heavens or hells that they would ever like each other, ever agree.  
  
The hanyou had promised Kagome as the older youkai brother had promised Rin. Their promises were never broken; they were loyal and true to their word. It was a virtue shared by common blood.  
  
Problems still existed between the two, though there would be no more blood shed between them. They both had lost too much to lose one of the last things they had. Each other. 


	6. Which One? by Niamh Tyhara

"InuYasha," Kagome whispered lightly as Kikyou spoke the same quietly.  
  
InuYasha looked sadly at the two young women before him. Kagome and Kikyou: both awaiting their fate. Which one? It came down to this...But InuYasha knew. He'd always known, it was just time to put his choice into words.  
  
It didn't mater what had happened in the past, the decision was here and now.  
  
Kagome's stormy eyes grew soft as she watched silently; Kikyou's own steel gray ones shone brightly.  
  
And so, finally making the decision that had plagued him for so long, InuYasha rose his finger and pointed confidently... 


	7. Coming Home by Alma Sol

A heavy sigh was heard from the well. Souta dropped his head into his hands and looked at Buyo. The large cat stared back owlishly and meowed. Saddened, the young boy turned back to the well and shifted on the wooden steps.  
  
Where was she? It had been so long since she had checked up on them. Jiisan had even gone to the extremes of trying exorcism and spells. Mom constantly told him not to worry, but... how could he not?  
  
He missed his sister and the arrogant hanyou who was his role model. When would they come back home? 


	8. Fright or Awe by Niamh Tyhara

Kouga's arm was looped around the waist of his wife; her eyes sparkled as they landed on her husband.  
  
Sparkled with both happiness and cautiousness.  
  
Was it really over? Was their pack safe in the beautiful valley that they had found? It seemed too good to be true...But they knew they would protect it with everything they had, if it came to that.  
  
The couple turned to walk back to the cave where they lived with their comrades.  
  
Their friends.  
  
Their family.  
  
As they came closer, an out of breath scout appeared, his eyes wide in either fright or awe... 


	9. Lost Love by Niamh Tyhara

It is better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all. Shippou had heard it somewhere but he felt that his heart was too young to fully understand then.  
  
Another thing the small kitsune didn't understand:  
  
Was it better to have loved another mother, perhaps more than the first, and to have lost her then to have learned to grow on his own?  
  
Perhaps, he decided, he should be happy to have known Kagome and leave it at that. Maybe, if Shippou had stayed with her he would have someday learned the meaning of it all... 


	10. No More by Niamh Tyhara

Kaede hobbled down the paved paths of her humble village, but not in a hurry. These days she didn't have much to hurry for.  
  
No more irritable hanyous rudely demanding quick answers.  
  
Or sweet mikos offering to help where needed.  
  
There were no more holy men to chase away from innocent girls.  
  
Neither a distraught demon huntresses to secretly comfort.  
  
Nor children with unconditional amounts of energy to entertain.  
  
No more proud demon cats to give worthy praise.  
  
There was also no jewel to protect from savage demons...but did that account for the well missed protectors of the humble village? 


	11. A Scar by Alma Sol

The tiniest smile graced Sesshoumaru's handsome face. Rin had grown a few inches and her health was near perfect again. He loved her like she was his daughter.  
  
He lightly reached out to stroke her soft head dotingly. Abruptly, a dark thought crossed his mind, he had almost lost her; the only thing precious to him.  
  
Without Rin, he could've destroyed everything he had. She had saved him, stopped him... at a price.  
  
She now had a scar that wouldn't go away, never stop haunting her. It was his fault, and he regretted doing it every single moment of everyday. 


	12. Lonely by Niamh Tyhara

Mrs. Higurashi looked out her kitchen window, sadly, in the direction of the well. Sighing, she turned back to her steaming tea; a snow white tendril of hair drifted in front of her dulled brown eyes, but she patiently pushed it away.  
  
The old shrine felt quiet and lonely without the bubbling laughter of her two children. How long had it been since she had heard her little girl's giggle? Too long...  
  
And the saddest part was that gentle Mrs. Higurashi hadn't been allowed the small comfort of seeing her daughter grow up...or even come back home for that matter. 


End file.
